Self-adjusting antifriction bearing



Feb. 18, 1941. H. E. PULLEYBLANK ADJUSTING ANTIFRICTiON BEARING SELF-Filed May 10, 1959 INVENTOR.

K M L m E L L U P E R E P R A H ATTORNEYS and being pensate for wear soas to avoid struction in mechanism,

Patented Feb. 18, 194i UNITED SELF-ADJUSTING ANTIFBICTION BEARING HarperE. Puileyblank,

Gemmer Manufacturl Detroit, Mich asl lflor to p y. t o t Mich., acorporation of Michigan Application May 10,

2 Claims.

iriction bearings and more particularly to constructions designed foruse in connection with motor vehicle steering gears for supporting therotary steering stem. With such structures the stems are usually formedoi commercial tubing varying somewhat in external diameter. Conse-,

tion of bearing stems within tolerance limits, providedwith means forall lost motion between the same and the stem substantially non-yieldingin a radial It is a further object to obtain a construction which willautomatically adjust to comlost motion at any it is an object to obtaina constandard size of bearing Still further which one time.

may be used With these objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction as hereinafter set torth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing my improved bearing as appliedto the steering stem and post of a motor vehicle;

Figure 2 is a plan view of bushing for engaging the stem;

Figure 3 is a cross section thereof;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified construction;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified constructionof bushing or adapter.

As illustrated, A is the tubular post of a steering and B is the rotarysteering stem having attached to its upper end the hub C of the steeringwheel. D is the outer race member of a ball bearing which is placedwithin the upper end of the tubular post A, the latter being internallymachined to form a seat E exactly fitting the external diameter of saidrace member. F are the balls and G is the inner race member of thebearing. inner race member is 0! an internal diameter which is in excessof the maximum external diameter of the stem B, so as to be engageablewith all variations thereof. H is a bushing member preferably formed ofpressed sheet metal and split at one to permit of expansion andcontraction. This bushing has a tapering portion H which when insertedwithin the inner race member G and pressed downward will contheself-adjusting automatically taking up 4 with steering stems of varioussizes.

' bearing on the I the thickness of the iustnient. I, therefore,

1939, Serial No. zrassr (Cl. 308-197) The invention relates toself-adjusting anti-' oi the bushing to the will also exert an endthrust upon form the inner surface stem B. It

ther ace member B forcing the latter against the balls F and taking upall lost motion. A coil spring I located within a recess C in the hub Chas its upper end abutting against said hub and its lower end againstthe bushing K. This spring is properly tensioned to exert the desiredamount oi! pressure on the bushing suflicient to conform the same to thestem and to also members in engagement with the balls, but withoutobjectionable pressure on the latter. Due to the fact that the thrust onthe bearing is at a relatively large angle to the axis of rotation, theengaging faces of the bushing and the race member may be sbstantialiyperpendicular to the line of thrust. Thus, any reactiontending to force the bushing out of engagement with the race hold therace 10 member will be comparatively slight and will be resisted by thespring I.

As shown in Figure 1, the steering stem is considerably smaller indiameter than the internal diameter of the hearing, so that sion of thebushing must be great enough to take up the intervening space. For thisreason the bushing H is hollow and preferably formed of pressed sheetmetal, being provided at its large end with an inturned flange H whichforms a stem as well as the bearing at the small end. In Figure 4 thepost and bearing are of the same dimensions as steering stem is largerin diameter so as to have only a slight clearance between the same andthe inner race member of the bearing. The bushing H is, therefore,constructed with a split cylindrical portion which directly contactswith the stem and which is tapered at its lower end for engagethe radialdimenin Figure 1, but the ment with the race member, while at its upperend it is provided with an outwardly extending flange H. Thus. by makingthe bearing of an internal diameter sufllcient to receive steering stemsof maximum diameter this may be used for all sizes 0! stems, it beingonly necessary to select a bushing or adapter corresponding to thepartic- .ular size of stem which is used.

Where a steering mechanism is used for extra heavy duty the radialpressure exerted on the wheel may be sufilcient to distort a bushing oradapter which is formed of sufiiciently thin metal to be flexible,However, with the split bushing metal-cannot be greatly increasedwithout rendering it too rigid for aduse for heavy duty steeringmechanisms an adapter formed of a plurality of separate segments. suchas shown in Figure 5, in which three segments H", H and I! are used.These can be made either of solid metal or oi sheet metal suiiicientlyheavy to withstand the radial stresses to which the bearing issubjectefi.

The hearing as above described, will prevent any radial movement oi thestem relative to the post A, not only when first inserted, but alsoafter the parts have been somewhat worn. It is easily manufactured etlowcost and is easiify applied.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an antii'riction bearing for use on steering stems varying inexternal diameter within predetermined tolerance limits, the combinationoi a cupped sheet metal inner race member having an internal diameter inexcess otihe maximauve on the latter substantially

